Caster



Jan. 239 1951 G. F. SHEPHERD CASTER Filed Aug. 13, 1948 Patented Jan. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE CASTER George Frederick Shepherd, Brighton, Victoria, Australia Application August 13, 1948, Serial No. 44,165 In Australia September 10, 1947 This invention relates to casters of the type I having a rotary floor engaging element rotatably mounted on an inclined axle ollset from and turnable about the vertical swivel axle of the caster.

As one example of the above type of caster there is disclosed in the complete specication of the applicants Australian Application No. 15663/44, and in United States Application No. 613,138, led August 28, 1945, now Patent No. 2,484,189, issued October 11, 1949, a caster consisting of a hollow spherical shell formed of two Acomplementary hemispherical sections, one of which sections is relatively xed and the other is rotatable and comprises a floor-engaging roller, a vertical swivelaxle depending into the hollow spherical shell to permit angular movement of the latter about the former, and an inclined axle upon which the door-engaging roller is mounted,

rcost reduction in the production of the casters.

In achieving the above-stated principal objective and according to the invention, a caster of the type specified comprises a relatively lixed section formingv a body member having the inclined axle secured therein and an integral bearing for the vertical swivel axle, and a single retainingr member insertable through the body member upon assembly of the latter and the rotary door-engaging element upon the respective axles so as to retain the same in assembled relav tion.

Conveniently, in the preferred arrangement, the body member and the rotary floor-engaging element are of hollow heini-spherical formation,

and the nomi-spherical rotary floor engaging element is provided with a circumferential marginal enlargement, which comprises a floor engaging band or rim within which the edge of the hemispherical body member is concealed.

The accompanying drawings depict a practical I arrangement of the caster accordingto the in- 6 Claims. (Cl. 16-18) Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a component of the caster shown separately.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings the caster comprises a rotary licor engaging roller 5 in the form of a flanged hemispherical section, and a relatively xed and complementary plan on the line 5 5 of hollow hemispherical section or body member 6, 'the sections 5 6 forming in assembly a hollow substantially spherical shell as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2.

The ange 5a of the rotary roller 5 comprising a spherical segmental section inclined relatively to the vertical axis of the complete sphere is of enlarged diameter to engage the door. The relatively fixed section 6 has formed integrally therein along one end or side a deep tubular recess 'l constituting a bearing in which the vertical swivel axle 8 of the caster is mounted. The inner end of the bearing 1 is conical to receive the apex of the conical end 8a upon the swivell axle 8 which is oiset to and disposed upon one side of the inclined axle 9 of the rotary roller as viewed in Fig. 4.

The inclined axle 9 of the rotary roller 5 is diametrically arranged as illustrated in Fig. 3, one end being fixed as by casting in an integral centrally disposed boss l0 in the xecl section 6 of the caster.

In order to secure the axle 9 in the boss l0 by casting, the `former is provided with a circumferential groove 9a, a knurled band 9b and a ange 9c formed by the groove 9a, (see Figure 3). In the process of casting, the metal lls the groove 9a and engages the knurled band 9b, so

jvthat upon cooling, the axle is firmly secured against rotation by the knurled band and against axial movement by the metal in the groove 9a and the metal surrounded flange 9c.

A centrally disposed bearing Il is formed in the rotary roller 5 by the integral hollow boss I la and the axle 9 in assembly lits within the bearing l I, which latter is disposed in alignment with and extends nearly to the boss l0 in the body member 6 of the caster as illustrated in Fig; 3.

The disposition of the axle 9 is such that it is inclined to a plane normal to the vertical swivel axle 8 of lthe`"caste1. The inner end of the bearine'4 Il is 'offconlcal form to receive the apex of the tapered end 9d of the axle 9 to provide for the thrust upon the axle 9.

The swivel axle 8 is formed with a circumferential groove I2 located to lie within the bearing 'l and provide spaced annular shoulders I2a in the axle 8 which at the upper end carries an attachment ,plate YI3 whereby the caster is xed to furniture.

In alignment with the circumferential groove I2 the bearing II of the rotary roller 5 is formed with a similar groove I4 providing spaced annular shoulders Illa (see Figs. 4 and 5).

Within the relatively xed section or body member B of the caster, is formed oppositely to the swivel bearing 1 an apertured boss I5, `the aperture I6 therein being disposed in alignment with the circumferential grooves I2 and I4, and an aligning aperture I'I in the bearing 8. The aligning apertures IB-I'l and grooves I2-I4 -permit a keeper pin I8 to be driven through the relatively fixed section 6 to passin tangential-disposition through the grooves I2-I4 and between the annular shoulders I2a and vIlla of the axle 8 and bearing I I as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

The keeper pin I8 thus retains the relatively fixed sections and rotary roller 5 and the axles, '8-9 in assembly. The keeper pin I8 is preferably knurled at one end I9., but may be arcuately shaped or bent whereby'on being `driven into the assembled position described the knurl or alternatively the resiliency vof the bent pin upon :straightening will retain 'the latter in operative position.

Acaster as above described may be lconstructed in relatively small sizes andthe small number of component parts comprising the vertical `swivel axle, body portion or relatively fixed section, the inclined axle and floor engaging roller, achieves economy in manufacture and assembly.

Moreover, the floor-engaging roller and integral bearing and the body member having the bearing for the swivel axle and boss with the inclined axle secured therein as described, are adapted for manufacture in quantity by pressure or die-casting.

I claim:

1. A caster for furniture and the like, lcomprising a cylindrical pivot member xable to and dependent from an article to be Supported, a circumferential groove in the periphery of the cylindrical pivot member, a body member mounted upon and angularly movable about the cylindrical pivot member, an axle secured to the body member and disposed inclinably in a plane parallel with said pivot member, a bearing in the body member spaced `from -the axle and accommodating the cylindrical Apivot member, a rotary hoor-engaging element having a hub, said 'hub rotably fitting the axle, a circumferential groove in the periphery of the`hub, 'and a retaining member detachably fixed in the body member land engaging the circumferential grooves to main the body member in engagement with said pivot member and the floor-engaging element on the axle.

2. A caster for furniture and the like, compris- Ving a hemispherical shell forming the body member of the caster, a bearing integral with `the hemispherical shell the axis of which is inclined 'to the axis of said shell, a .cylindrical stem fixable to an article to be supported and rotatably fitting the bearing, a circumferential groove in the periphery of the cylindrical stem, an axle secured to the hemispherical shell and disposed coincidently with the axis thereof, a complementary spherical shell comprising a rotary floorengaging element disposed coaxially with theA hemispherical shell forming the body member, a hub integral with the complementary spherical shell and rotatably fitting the axle, a circumferential groove in the periphery of the hub, and a retaining member carried by the hemispherical shell forming the body member and engaging said grooves to maintain said shell or body member engaged with the cylindrical stem and the complementary spherical shell on the axle.

3.A caster` for furniture and the like as claimed in claim 2, wherein said hemispherical shell has aligned-apertures formed in opposite sides thereof and said circumferential grooves are disposed in valignment each with the other and in alignment with said apertures, and a retaining pin extending through and engaging in the aligned grooves.

4. A caster for furniture and the like comprising a pivot member fixable vertically to an article vto be supported, a body member rotatably mounted on the pivot member, an axle secured to the body member and spaced from and inclinably related to the pivot member, a rotary floor engaging element having a hub rotatably fitting the axle, said pivot member and hub each having an annular shoulder, and a retaining member extending through the body member in co-operative relationship with the annular shoulders for maintaining the body mem- `ber in engagement with the pivot member and the `rotary cor engaging element on the axle.

5. A caster for furniture and the like comprising a pivot member fixable vertically to an article to be supported, a body member rotatably mounted on the pivot member, an axle secured to the body member and spaced from and inclinably related to the pivot member, a rotary floor engaging element having a hub rotatably tting vthe axle, said pivot member and hub each having a circumferential groove therein, and a retaining member extending transversely through the body member and engaging the circumferential grooves to maintain the body member in engagement with the pivot member` vand the rotary floor engaging element on the axle.

6. A caster for furniture and the like comprising a pivot member xable vertically to an article to be supported, a body member rotatably mounted on the pivot member, an axle secured to the body member and spaced from and inclinably related to the pivot member, a rotary floor engaging element having a hub rotatably fitting the axle, said pivot member and hub each having a circumferential groove therein aligned each with the other, and a retaining pin detachably xed to and extending through the body .member and engaging in the aligned grooves to maintain the body member in engagement with the pivot member and the rotary floor engaging element on `the axle.

" GEORGE FREDERICK SHEPHERD.

Name Date Whitney Dec. 16, 1884 Number 

